July 18, 2021 By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service With a stunning victory in Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Aric Almirola sent shock waves through the NASCAR Cup Series’ Playoff standings. With hard-charging Christopher Bell closing behind him, Almirola crossed the finish line at the 1.058-mile track .657 seconds ahead of the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to win the third race of his career and give Stewart-Haas Racing its first ostensible Playoff berth of the 2021 campaign. After battling Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney—who waged their own internecine war shortly after the start of…

July 11, 2021 By HOLLY CAIN NASCAR Wire Service Kurt Busch out-dueled his younger brother Kyle Busch in the pair’s fourth career 1-2 finish to secure his 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs position and take his 33rd career victory in Sunday’s Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart. Busch, 42, has been particularly good at the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway. Sunday’s win was his fourth there, most among the current field, and the last trophy given before the historic NASCAR track is repaved and reconfigured going forward. More importantly Sunday’s work was a big statement for Busch, who started the race with only…

July 10, 2021 By HOLLY CAIN NASCAR Wire Service Kyle Busch earned his record 102nd NASCAR Xfinity Series race victory Saturday afternoon in the Credit Karma Money 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway – taking the checkered flag in overtime to top a perfect 5-for-5 record in Xfinity starts this season. The winningest driver in series history proclaimed Saturday’s work to be his final curtain call, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion saying he would no longer compete in the Xfinity Series. Ironically, in what should have been his biggest bow before the fans – his traditional victory celebration – Busch, 36, opted…

July 9, 2021 By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service KNOXVILLE, Iowa—At the end of a remarkable race on an equally remarkable race track, Austin Hill took home the trophy in Friday night’s Corn Belt 150 at Knoxville Raceway. After a fourth attempt at overtime in the inaugural NASCAR Truck Series event at the iconic .5-mile dirt track, Hill scored his first victory of the season in a race that featured 14 cautions and a 17-car pileup in Turn 1 that could rival the biggest “Big One” at Talladega. Moments after Hill took the checkered flag to end the fourth overtime, fireworks exploded…

July 4, 2021 By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service PLYMOUTH, Wis. – After one event in “exile,” Chase Elliott once again is King of the Road. The reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion passed Kyle Busch for the lead on Lap 46 of 62 and cruised to victory in Sunday’s Jockey Made in America 250 Presented by Kwik Trip, the first Cup race at the 4.048-mile road course in 65 years. The win was Elliott’s second of the season and the 13th of his career. Seven of those victories have come on road courses, including this year’s debut race at Circuit of the…